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Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in localized populations of Apodemus sylvaticus is linked to population genotype not to population location

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2014

J. BAJNOK ,
K. BOYCE ,
M. T. ROGAN ,
P. S. CRAIG ,
Z. R. LUN  and
G. HIDE
J. BAJNOK
Affiliation:
Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
K. BOYCE
Affiliation:
Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
M. T. ROGAN
Affiliation:
Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
P. S. CRAIG
Affiliation:
Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
Z. R. LUN
Affiliation:
Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
G. HIDE*
Affiliation:
Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK Biomedical Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK. E-mail: g.hide@salford.ac.uk
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Summary

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed parasite infecting humans and warm-blooded animals. Although many surveys have been conducted for T. gondii infection in mammals, little is known about the detailed distribution in localized natural populations. In this study, host genotype and spatial location were investigated in relation to T. gondii infection. Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were collected from 4 sampling sites within a localized peri-aquatic woodland ecosystem. Mice were genotyped using standard A. sylvaticus microsatellite markers and T. gondii was detected using 4 specific PCR-based markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 directly from infected tissue. Of 126 wood mice collected, 44 samples were positive giving an infection rate of 34·92% (95% CI: 27·14–43·59%). Juvenile, young adults and adults were infected at a similar prevalence, respectively, 7/17 (41·18%), 27/65 (41·54%) and 10/44 (22·72%) with no significant age-prevalence effect (P = 0·23). Results of genetic analysis of the mice showed that the collection consists of 4 genetically distinct populations. There was a significant difference in T. gondii prevalence in the different genotypically derived mouse populations (P = 0·035) but not between geographically defined populations (P = 0·29). These data point to either a host genetic/family influence on parasite infection or to parasite vertical transmission.

Keywords

Toxoplasma gondiiApodemus sylvaticustransmissionvertical transmissiontransmission cyclespopulationsgenotypeswild mammalsrodentsPCR
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 142 , Issue 5 , April 2015 , pp. 680 - 690
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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